getting models to look directly into the camera (pics)

[jaYMan]

is it important? I'm starting to think the more I shoot the more I prefer the connection between the models eyeballs and the lens of the camera.

anyone agree/disagree???






examples:
http://www.jaymanwashere.com/hotties.jpg

http://www.ninjito.com/dump/rrcc.jpg

http://www.jaymanwashere.com/hotties2.jpg



This is our newest hardcore teen blonde girl, getting broken in by RavenRiley ;) I think the more they look at the camera, the more the surfer will signup. ahahahaha


ah fuck... i give up lol... i tried... would you hit it?
|greenguy|

[Surfn]

I personally don't like pics where the model looks at the camera. I see that as posing. But there are many many surfers who like it for some reason I can't understand. So from a marketing POV I say yes. From a personal POV I say no. Was that any help? lol

[Ramster]

I agree. I hate when I buy content and there are hardly any if any pics of the model looking at the camera. When I buy exclusive content I now make sure they know I need eye contact.

[Toni KatVixen]

As one who is out and in front of the camera, one of the most popular comment I get in shows is about my eyes when I look into the camera.

My viewers love the connection and the look. It makes them feel as if I'm looking directly at "them" and that is what build memberships, making them feel part of it.

[MrYum]

I think there's some middle ground to be had there.

It's great when the model makes eye contact with the camera...for exactly the reason Kat mentioned...she's looking at the surfer. They (ok I)...eat that up |thumb

However, there should also be some shots of her making contact with whoever she's errr...'contacting' :D

She should look like she's having a damn fine time...and so is her partner...they're into each other...BIG time. And every once in a while...she looks at the camera with the...'Hey stud, look how nasty I can be...wanna get nasty with me?' look. Hubba hubba :D

[SirMoby]

It's the difference between a professional model and an amateur. The pros can do it without blinking but the amateurs never can. If you like pros then you want eye contact. If you want amateurs then you don't.

I know they're posing so they should be looking at the camera. It's also very important for join pages. Make a surfer look them in the eye and then say "no". It ain't easy.

[Surfn]

It's the difference between a professional model and an amateur. The pros can do it without blinking but the amateurs never can. If you like pros then you want eye contact. If you want amateurs then you don't.

I know they're posing so they should be looking at the camera. It's also very important for join pages. Make a surfer look them in the eye and then say "no". It ain't easy.
I agree with the join pages. |thumb

[emmanuelle]

I dont think that eye contact differentiates between amateur & pro. I love eye contact- the connection, and the feeling that she's secretly sending a message directly to the viewer.

[Ms Naughty]

I hate it. I find it horribly distracting, and for me it breaks the imaginary "fourth wall", it ruins the fantasy of being able to peek in on two lovers. It reminds me that this is just porn, that it's not real, and that these people were paid to fuck each other without giving a damn. I don't find that very sexy.

And the woman never looks like she's actually enjoying herself if she's too busy looking at the camera, trying give a cheesy smile while there's a dick in her mouth or whatever.

Of course, my opinion in this probably doesn't count because you're shooting for male surfers.

But on our site for women we consistently trash couples photos where the woman is looking at the camera. Our members have regularly told us that they don't like it.

At the same time, this has made me wonder about couples pics where the MAN is looking at the camera. I've seen so few I don't have an opinion on it, but as a woman viewer, it might be OK.

[Mr. Blue]

Depends on what the model is doing. I like a little eye contact, here and there, it's good, but there's times when I absolutely don't want to see the girl looking at the camera.

Example: Sex Scenes...there's a few photographers that insist on the model looking directly at the camera during a sex scene...just horrible. The really bad ones will have a model getting pummeled hardcore and she's looking at the camera smiling??? WTF??? It's like she's not having sex at all.

So, solo girls just posing...yeah eye contact is good
Blowjobs - if it's pov okay
Masturbation - Solo girls stuff, yeah that's good
Sex scenes of any kind - no eye contact with the camera, kills the moment.

[mist]

I agree with Mr. Blue, I like eye contact with solo/masturbating girls, but with hardcore photos, I don't like eye contact, it just spoils the whole set.

[Vivaldi]

can't make my brain cells work right now but I think PRIVATE has more than one film with girls looking in camera while fucking, right!?
I remember that they had a 'come over' look doing evrything and got to say I liked it :D

[Paul Markham2]

From my experience and I would say others.

I would say it's up what you shoot if you shoot couples 2 girls or boygirl they should not look at the camera. They are there for each other to have sex.

If you shoot single girls i think is very important that the girl look at the camera, but the correct way. She is seducing the person she looking at from the picture, not looking like she waiting for bus.

Eva

[Simon]

I'd say my opinions line up most closely with Surfn, grandmascrotum, Mr Blue, mist, and others who think there may be a right time for the performer(s) to break that fourth wall but mostly it ruins the suspension of disbelief that I think is very important.

In most cases, if it isn't a POV with well-done, maintained eye contact throughout, then having her look at the camera usually ruins the scene for me and I'm not interested in what happens with that couple or group any longer. I prefer it when you could believe that she is so into what's she doing and who she's doing it with that she doesn't even know there's a camera in the room.

I do think eye contact on the join form can help. The caveat is that you have to make sure the 'mood' set by your join form models agrees with the mood your tour sets. And if you can control the look of your actual signup page to make that match too, all the better.

Simon

[Halfdeck]

If you're into fantasizing about watching a girl who doesn't know you're there, eye contact will obliterate that fantasy because by making eye contact, she's acknowledging your presence.

If you're even a bit narcissistic, POV allows you to pretend the model is there to please YOU, not anyone else. Even if she has a cock in her mouth, if she is looking at you instead of the guy the cock belongs to, she is saying "I'm sucking on his cock to get you off."

This is one reason I think POV and talking cameraman just don't jive well. Girls are performing for the cameraman, not you, but they're looking at the camera, so you can't pretend you're not there either.

Eye contact in still pictures does tend to look a little wierd especially if the photos are tiny.

[Greenguy]

From my experience and I would say others.

I would say it's up what you shoot if you shoot couples 2 girls or boygirl they should not look at the camera. They are there for each other to have sex.

If you shoot single girls i think is very important that the girl look at the camera, but the correct way. She is seducing the person she looking at from the picture, not looking like she waiting for bus.

EvaI agree 99.44% The only exception that I can see is couple scenes for POV and maybe amateur sites, where you want the surfer to think that whoever is in the shot is doing what they're doing to the surfers body part :)

(that was hard to word without being gender specific :D)

[SirMoby]

So, solo girls just posing...yeah eye contact is good
Blowjobs - if it's pov okay
Masturbation - Solo girls stuff, yeah that's good
Sex scenes of any kind - no eye contact with the camera, kills the moment.
You bring up a good points Mr. Blue. Depending on what's happening eye contact can be good or bad. I've seen many models that just can't seem to look into the camera in a sexy way and they'll never be in huge demand until they can.

I guess a little eye contact goes a long way. A nice come hither look while sitting on a cock is exciting and works well for promotional material but most of the time she should be enjoying herself. Her male counter part should never look at the camera and we don't really need to see his face ever.

I guess I always like a little mix in there. If she's alone it's hard to get too much eye contact. If she has anyone else or a toy with her then most of her attention should be focused pleasure but I still like a touch of eye contact.

[Surfn]

The camera guy talking, the male partner talking, the male face are all big turnoffs for me. I've been known to reject sites for those reasons as well.

Remember this is my site and each day that passes it becomes more evident to me that my criteria and the LOR criteria are growing different so check the rules. :D

[docholly]

i
ah fuck... i give up lol... i tried... would you hit it?
|greenguy|

Nope!! but YOU on the other hand jaYMan.. have a cute ass.. i'd think about it..
:D

[Paul Markham2]

I agree 99.44% The only exception that I can see is couple scenes for POV and maybe amateur sites, where you want the surfer to think that whoever is in the shot is doing what they're doing to the surfers body part :)

(that was hard to word without being gender specific :D)


I agree that there are sets that need to be shot "hiden camera" and the surfers like it.

[Hunter_ST]

I agree that there are sets that need to be shot "hiden camera" and the surfers like it.

Just so you're not hiding in the bushes outside her window... :D

Really does depend on the genre. I think single-girl sites benefit from one-on-one eye contact... whereas, as previously mentioned, hardcore BG sex is usually more voyueuristic.

Of course, rules are made to be broken.

[Mr. Blue]

Her male counter part should never look at the camera and we don't really need to see his face ever.

The camera guy talking, the male partner talking, the male face are all big turnoffs for me. I've been known to reject sites for those reasons as well.

Dead on right! The male should hardly be noticed, he's just there as a filler to the fantasy and the second he becomes too pronouced in the photos or videos...it just kills it.

What drives me nuts is when I'm reviewing movie galleries, good looking woman, promising looking screen caps, and then you play the movie and the guy doing the fucking won't shut up...to make it worst, when they have a foreign accent and it sounds like Arnold Schwarzenegger screwing. Possibly the worst is when it's he won't shut up, he sounds like Arnie, and they pump in some cheesy music as well.

[koolkat]

I agree with Mr. Blue.

I think especially with the POV blowjobs and masturbation shots.

[RawAlex]

I like models to look directly in the camera when they are alone or when they are obviously posing. I don't like models to look at the camera while engaged in a sex act, unless the idea is to draw the viewer in (say if they are making a running commentary about "so, do you think I should lick her pussy?" to get the viewer to be interested, or other POV style things).

I do think that banners, tours and such should all include powerful pictures of the model looking right at the camera. I think it helps to make a connection between the viewer and the model, and can help to draw people in.

Alex

[juggernaut]

I would be real careful with the eye contact. Some girls, pro's or not know themselves well enough to pull it off. But most don't in front of a camera. But here's something that happened to me during my very last shoot. The girl was smoking hot blonde pro model, in fact I still see her in a local TV car ad here. I shot her like 5 years ago and she is still working. Anyway she has a floater. Very very subtle. You can't notice it when looking at her face directly. But if she tilted her head or turned her head it was barely noticeable by the human eye. Until the camera flashes. I had 3 roll of film all end up in the trash because she looked like she was looking at camera with one eye and the wall with the other. Just be careful that’s all.

[Simon]

...I had 3 roll of film all end up in the trash because she looked like
she was looking at camera with one eye and the wall with the other.
Damn shame you trashed those photos, I hear that the
"One eye lookin' at ya, one eye lookin' for ya" niche
is pretty hot.

|loony|

[juggernaut]

I still have some. I just have to find them and scan and put them up. I admit they are kind of funny looking.

[Ms Naughty]

Dead on right! The male should hardly be noticed, he's just there as a filler to the fantasy and the second he becomes too pronouced in the photos or videos...it just kills it.

Not if your audience is female. :)

Just to give an alternative opinion here - I always want to see a guy's face in hardcore pics and movies. And I want to hear him make some noise, if I can.

Actually, here's the thing. I tend to view couples pics as a whole. My concentration is on neither the man or the woman, but on seeing two people together.

And I think this viewpoint is not necessarily limited to women. I know of male porn watchers who want to see the same thing.

I'm not sure why I'm feeling compelled to reply to this thread. I know I'm a minority voice LOL Maybe I'm hoping that content providers will read it and see that not everyone wants the same thing. :)

[nekrom]

In my experience majority of males want to see the womans eyes looking into the camera, esp in blowjob scenes. It makes the surfer believe that they are in the movie with the model.

I also agree that female surfers and a small % of males like to watch a "couple" with camera as filming, not being stared at by models. And ya i'll also echo the focus on the male when aimed at female surfs, and keep the male model out, when aiming it at men.

2cents
-N

[anasporn]

Grandma, keep feeling compelled! As a woman, one of my biggest complaints about bed partners is that they are so damn quiet!! If I'm going surfing for porn, I don't want to have the same problem LOL What's wrong with knowing the guy is loving it? That means the woman has skilz

[Simon]

I love it when the woman has skilz :)

What turns me off is when the guy doesn't... but still insists on running his mouth. I particularly dislike it when the guys keep asking the girls stupid questions that they're not even sure they're supposed to be answering. Or when the cameraman, outside the action, is giving directions you can hear. To me that just makes it look like no one there had a clue.

Oh yeah, another thing that's terrible... dubbing in sound later, with people making noises that are not quite synched to the action (and often with voices that don't quite match the performer either).

[MonsterPartners]

Who is looking at their eyes? LOL

[RedCherry]

I hate it. I find it horribly distracting, and for me it breaks the imaginary "fourth wall", it ruins the fantasy of being able to peek in on two lovers. It reminds me that this is just porn, that it's not real, and that these people were paid to fuck each other without giving a damn. I don't find that very sexy.

And the woman never looks like she's actually enjoying herself if she's too busy looking at the camera, trying give a cheesy smile while there's a dick in her mouth or whatever.


I agree 100% with this. I hate to purchase a set of a couple fucking, and she looks like she isn't enjoying it, and swiveling her head around to look at the camera.

I like a balance between looking at the camera...some eye contact is very sexy....and some eyes closed looking like she is REALLY enjoying what ever is happening to her, and some looking at her partner (if she has one) in the shoot.

I think tease shots of solo girls where she is just starting to undress where she is looking right at the camera is really hot, but couples, or lesbian, less camera looking, more staring into the eyes of their partners, or eyes closed looking like they are screaming in pleasure. Ok, so I'm a woman, that is what I like. |thumb

[Ms Naughty]

Simon, I'm with you on dodgy dialogue and the camerman talking in the background. It feels... well, amateur. But not "amateur" in a good way. It can be distracting, and ruins the fantasy. Of course, gonzo is all about getting the camera guy/interview involved, so I can understand that, but if it's just a plain fantasy setup, stay the hell out of it!

Actually... again, this is just a personal opinion, and female one at that... I always find those "question and answer" things really creepy. Perhaps because the ones I've seen usually involve an interviewer or camera guy who sounds like a sniggering 16 year old, or some heavy breather in a trench coat. EWW!

[karomesis]

Grandma, keep feeling compelled! As a woman, one of my biggest complaints about bed partners is that they are so damn quiet!! If I'm going surfing for porn, I don't want to have the same problem LOL What's wrong with knowing the guy is loving it? That means the woman has skilz


anasporn, as a man, I will attest to making some serious noise. I have actually recieved complaints from the neighbors for the verbal proof of my intense satisfaction.:D

agree 100% with this. I hate to purchase a set of a couple fucking, and she looks like she isn't enjoying it, and swiveling her head around to look at the camera.

I like a balance between looking at the camera...some eye contact is very sexy....and some eyes closed looking like she is REALLY enjoying what ever is happening to her, and some looking at her partner (if she has one) in the shoot.

I think tease shots of solo girls where she is just starting to undress where she is looking right at the camera is really hot, but couples, or lesbian, less camera looking, more staring into the eyes of their partners, or eyes closed looking like they are screaming in pleasure. Ok, so I'm a woman, that is what I like.

hey, I say give them what they like, right? Nice program BTW|thumb
at last count there where 9+ million women veiwing porn on a monthly basis, If your program is on the money for what women want, then Your signups will increase dramatically.(which I think they will).

Also, I think that there are some men who feel the same way, me being one of them. That for the intensity of the situation to be conveyed correctly, both parties involved should be enjoying the copulation equaly. Obviously the film quality is important as well as other variables like the directors cinemetography. Some of these guys don't look like they know how to shoot anything, how will they ever convey the emotionaly intensity of an intimate moment between a couple?|huh

[lassiter]

If you shoot single girls i think is very important that the girl look at the camera, but the correct way. She is seducing the person she looking at from the picture, not looking like she waiting for bus.



LOL - yep. Personally I prefer eye contact especially if it's solo masturbation or POV. But geez, I've seen some allegedly POV stuff where the girl spends all her time looking at the director (or monitor?) instead of the camera! Nothing says "total disinterest" more than that.

Likewise those formerly innovative but now waaayy tired and boring Ed Powers vids where he spends more time staring at and adjusting the viewfinder or monitor than he does paying attention to the girls. Geez, Ed, hire a good AD and/or cameraperson and let 'em handle it.

[juggernaut]

I still have some. I just have to find them and scan and put them up. I admit they are kind of funny looking.Ok had to use the way back machine. But I found her. Look at the left eye man I forgot how bad it really was I can't believe she is still working. Some of you from Jersey might see here in a local Mercedes commercial.
http://www.fullphotos.com/1.jpgIf the image does not come up try to refreash the page. I dont know whats wrong and i need to eat some food.

[susanna]

Jayman, the short answer is that you know your target audience more then we do.

One thing to note is what is on your tour? if its a huge pile of pictures of your girls looking right into the camera, success comes from having those same pictures in your members area. This is basic paysite strategy and I would have hoped you already knew this.

As for my opinion, neither is better. Grandma pointed out that it seems only women do this in hardcore. Solo male pictures probably do well ONLY BECAUSE OF THE EYES not the floppy dick or chiseled abs. Any picture with a gal looking at the camera probably does well if she has a submissive, "I want nothing more then to have your cock stuck in one of my holes" look. This is a huge marketing strategy...the submissive... fill me with cum...fantasy.

As for the posed question...what about a couples sex scene where the man looks direct into the camera? well it would instantly mean to me that she was only his conquest and that he has no intention of being intimate with her... I am wondering if the women in shoots who are not connecting with the man behind the dick in her mouth are secretly avoiding intimacy themselves.

[Seska]

Like others have said, it depends on your target audience. I also think it depends on the context of the shoot.

The way my husband and I tend to shoot our content is in a voyeur style so basically I am going at it with my partner(s) and he captures the action. We do not pay much attention to him. I think this style works well for swinger themed sites.

During webcam shows I interact with the audience so there is definitely eye contact made with them (well, through the power of the Net) and videos we get from shows reflect that. I also similarily make eye cotnact when I do a solo shoot but only for softer sets. If there is action then I tend to focus on what I am feeling.

If I am doing a themed shoot then I don't make a lot of eye contact. The fourth wall is left intact. Though I do enjoy some narration towards the camera if it works for the shoot. I think it can be funny but sexy and intimate at the same time.

[basschick]

i think it depends on the content. we're shooting bodybuilders posing, and sometimes it makes sense to have them look into the camera, but sometimes it really doesn't.

i like the feeling that a solo girl alone in her bedroom gives when she undresses and plays with herself as if the camera wasn't even there. i think it's way sexy. also - and this may be a female perspective - the second i see a girl supposedly in the throes of passion looking into the camera instead of at her partner or closing her eyes, i pretty much feel she's faking it.

as far as photographers who talk and talk and talk, that drives me fucking NUTS! i once talked to photogregg about this and he said without the talking, the scenes get boring. i disagree - i think that surfers want to focus on the girl or the sex, but that's only my opinion... and the opinions of all the members who wrote and asked if we could get the photographer to shut up *LOL*

[Paul Markham2]

i think it depends on the content. we're shooting bodybuilders posing, and sometimes it makes sense to have them look into the camera, but sometimes it really doesn't.

i like the feeling that a solo girl alone in her bedroom gives when she undresses and plays with herself as if the camera wasn't even there. i think it's way sexy. also - and this may be a female perspective - the second i see a girl supposedly in the throes of passion looking into the camera instead of at her partner or closing her eyes, i pretty much feel she's faking it.

as far as photographers who talk and talk and talk, that drives me fucking NUTS! i once talked to photogregg about this and he said without the talking, the scenes get boring. i disagree - i think that surfers want to focus on the girl or the sex, but that's only my opinion... and the opinions of all the members who wrote and asked if we could get the photographer to shut up *LOL*Good points.

There are no "Golden Rules" in porn. In fact you will always find someone who likes it. The aim is to cover as many bases without diluting the whole thing and losing the penetration.

Yes there is a niche where the girl does not look at the camera, other than "Voyeur", but the girl must look very natural and still show something. Tough call.

Then there is the niche where the girl looks into the camera, but unless you have someone be3hind it who is motivating the girl to do more then "Look at the camera" it can be useless.

For couples work there is both themes, looking at the partner and at the camera. But both need to show something different. One is a girl hot to fuck the person she is with, the other is her teasing the onlooker yet still enjoying herself and her partner.

And there are people who like to here a shooter talking to a girl, problem is when the girl talks back with nothing in her voice to betray enjoyment.

Fortunately for those who understand porn there are no "Golden Rules". Except one.

It has to get a guys dick hard enough for him to get his wallet out.

But like great cooking, you might have all the ingredients for Coq Au Van, but if you don't have the flair to put them together all you will end up with is chicken stew with wine.

[american perv]

i like when the model looks at the camera, but not in every pic

[KCat]

i like the feeling that a solo girl alone in her bedroom gives when she undresses and plays with herself as if the camera wasn't even there. i think it's way sexy. also - and this may be a female perspective - the second i see a girl supposedly in the throes of passion looking into the camera instead of at her partner or closing her eyes, i pretty much feel she's faking it.



I totally agree. I do like some eye contact when it's presented in a "look at these hot photos I shot just for you! I was thinking about how hard your cock would get while I was playing" context.

My biggest turn-off are the very posed shots where the girl is looking right at the camera with a big cheesy smile on her face. I can almost hear the photographer in the background saying, 1 - 2 - 3 - SMILE! It's the Walmart of porn photography.

The sample shots of Raven, on the other hand, have a very sexy look, inviting the viewer to see more.

[Paul Markham2]

I totally agree. I do like some eye contact when it's presented in a "look at these hot photos I shot just for you! I was thinking about how hard your cock would get while I was playing" context.

My biggest turn-off are the very posed shots where the girl is looking right at the camera with a big cheesy smile on her face. I can almost hear the photographer in the background saying, 1 - 2 - 3 - SMILE! It's the Walmart of porn photography.

The sample shots of Raven, on the other hand, have a very sexy look, inviting the viewer to see more.
getting a model to look into the camera with that thought in her head is tough. But we had to do it in the days of old for the magazines.

However tough to do when people want to buy sets for $10 or $200 exclusive. some exclusive shooters are forced to do 10 sets a day to make it pay. Some think shooting porn is a race.

In this business like all others you get what you pay for.

Content is not a level playing field. A good set can bring in 100 sign ups from a non Internet source. Don't bother asking me because I'm not telling you about it. The content is the first thing a surfer sees, it's what stops or makes him hit the back button, it's what makes him get his credit card out. It's what makes him stay or come back 6 months down the line. This is what keeps affiliates happy, the freebies are just to get him interested. The money keeps him.

So why do so many buy content on price?

[MarkTiarra]

I'm a fan of the eye contact, especially on oral shots. Doesn't need to be every pic by any means but it's good to have a nice selection of them in every shoot. Those type pics work great on tours too.

[KCat]

So why do so many buy content on price?


Because they can. If I have the choice of $10 non-exclusive or $200 exclusive, I'll take the $10 all day long. Some models, some sets sell very well & in my experience, the exclusive girls I use don't out perform the non-exclusive. That seems to be something that webmasters are more concerned with than surfers.

I think the way you have your stores set up is brilliant. I can buy a bunch of bargain basement sets & if my members really like one particular model, you can bet I'm going to hunt down more of her sets. I might get one or two for $5, but the rest are $40. Works well for everybody.

[Seba]

Personally, I like pics where the girl is not looking into the cam. I like being an observer :D